National symbols

[wvwvw]

The national animal of Greece is the dolphin.



Dolphins appear in a number of Greek myths, invariably as helpers of humankind.

Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and it was a major site for the worship of the god Apollo.

Delphi was revered throughout the Greek world as the site of the omphalos stone, the centre of the earth and the universe. In the inner hestia ("hearth") of the Temple of Apollo, an eternal flame burned. After the battle of Plataea, the Greek cities extinguished their fires and brought new fire from the hearth of Greece, at Delphi; in the foundation stories of several Greek colonies, the founding colonists were first dedicated at Delphi.

The epithet is connected with dolphins (the "womb-fish") in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo (line 400), telling how Apollo first came to Delphi in the shape of a dolphin, carrying Cretan priests on his back.

Spoiler!

Hoplite Warriors Riding Dolphins






In ancient Greece, dolphins were seen as messengers for the gods. And while there was no knowledge of the fact that dolphins have lived on Planet Earth for 38-50 million years by current estimates, the mammals were revered and awarded ‘person’ status.

The clues to dolphins as ‘female’ are prolific in Greek and Roman art, and also in earlier Minoan artifacts:

[Graham]

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Declaration of Arbroath

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‘Yet if Bruce should give up what he has begun, and agree to make us or our kingdom subject to the King of England or the English, we should exert ourselves at once to drive him out as our enemy and a subverter of his own rights and ours, and make some other man who was well able to defend us our King;

For, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule.

It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.’

The Declaration of Arbroath is a declaration of Scottish independence, made in 1320. It is in the form of a letter submitted to Pope John XXII, dated 6 April 1320, intended to confirm Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state and defending Scotland's right to use military action when unjustly attacked.

[Comte Arnau]

Implying it wasn't "borrowed" from Provence

Er.. you're joking, aren't you? :mmmm:

Is this really a Catalan donkey ? it looks Celtic or Irish

Just look at what it's wearing. It's a Croatian donkey!

National Animal -- Unicorn

Coat of Arms

It's funny that both Catalonia and Scotland have mythological figures, the wyvern and the unicorn.

[Atlantean]

This is my crest:
Republic of Ragusa


This is me:
http://media2.valamar.com/CmsMedia/D.../Dubrovnik.jpg

Not a real country anymore, but what the hell.
Game of Thrones was filmed within my walls.

[Rudel]

Er.. you're joking, aren't you? :mmmm:

Not really. It's likely that the colors find their sources in the vexillological traditions of the Kingdom of Arles. But ultimately they are Roman colors.

But the arms as such did come from the House of Barcelona (and are still strictly the same, except that they're not oriented the same way when used on a standard as Catalonia follows the Medieval orientation).

[Kalimtari]

ay, mi madre!

[Linebacker]

National Symbol


National Animal


National Day - March 3rd


Most popular celebration

[Comte Arnau]

Not really. It's likely that the colors find their sources in the vexillological traditions of the Kingdom of Arles. But ultimately they are Roman colors.

I guess that you're referring there to the theory of the Vatican origin.

That theory was proposed by an Aragonese historian time ago. You know that, both Catalonia and Aragon sharing the same flag since so old in time, the origin of it is a controversial issue between both territories. But the fact is that that theory has been ignored by most other serious historians and vexillologists, from both Catalonia and Aragon itself. Simply because the proof for that theory is almost non-existant. In short, reduced to the fact that the so-called lemniscus were red and gold, a typical combination of colours.

I admit I don't know much about the vexillological traditions of the Kingdom of Arles, but from what I know, heraldry didn't really exist before the 12th century.

But the arms as such did come from the House of Barcelona (and are still strictly the same, except that they're not oriented the same way when used on a standard as Catalonia follows the Medieval orientation).

That's indeed the undeniable fact. The four bars were the personal sign of Ramon Berenguer IV of the House of Barcelona and from him passed to his descendants.

[Crn Volk]

Macedonia

Macedonian flags



Coat of arms from 16th century



Coat of arms of Macedonian Orthodox Church



Macedonian dog breeds

Karaman



Sarplaninec



Some national costumes

[Crn Volk]

Australia

National animal



Coat of arms



National sport - Aussie rules football



National food - meat pie



Sydney



Popular past time